Nintendo’s President is Being Replaced

It seems like just yesterday that former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata tragically passed away, but it’s been nearly three years. Tatsumi Kimishima has been serving as Nintendo’s President since just a few months after Iwata’s passing, but that too must now come to an end. Nintendo announced today that Kimishima will be retiring as President, effective June 28th.

Despite Nintendo’s use of the word “retirement,” Japanese publication Nikkei reports that he will continue to advise Nintendo going forward. To fill the shoes of Kimishima, Nintendo is planning to appoint 46 year old Shuntaro Furukawa to President and Representative Director. Furukawa has been with the company since 1994, and he’s currently both a Managing Executive Officer and Supervisor of Corporate Analysis & Administration Division at Nintendo.

Kimishima’s replacement by Furukawa is just one of several big administrative changes made by Nintendo. Nintendo of Europe President Satoru Shibata will also be stepping down, but instead of retiring he’s taking a job as a company Director. Meanwhile, Shinya Takahashi will be promoted to Senior Managing Executive Officer, and Yoshiaki Koizumi will be promoted to Executive Officer, putting some of Nintendo’s younger talent in key decision-making roles.

Takahashi’s current role is overseeing Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development, while Yoshiaki Koizumi serves as Takahashi’s Deputy General Manager. Notably, Koizumi also took the lead role in developing Nintendo Switch. Given the success of both the console and the games produced for it by Nintendo EPD, these two have quite the recent track record.